It is important to confirm for the U.S. federal court system that comments such as those attributed to Fifth Circuit Appellate Judge Edith Jones have a substantial, widespread, and negative impact on public confidence in all U.S. courts (state and federal) among reasonable people.

On June 4, 2013, Will Weissert of the Associated Press reported that "(a) coalition of civil rights organizations filed a judicial misconduct complaint Tuesday against a conservative federal judge for comments she allegedly made during a speech that are seen as discriminatory." Upon reading Mr. Weissert's full article, I was appalled by comments attributed to Judge Edith H. Jones of the Fifth Circuit U.S. Court of Appeals. Though the "comments were not recorded, . . . five students and one attorney who were in attendance signed affidavits on what was said."

Judge Jones is credited with saying such things as ". . . certain 'racial groups like African-Americans and Hispanics are predisposed to crime,' and are 'prone to commit acts of violence' and be involved in more violent and 'heinous' crimes than people of other ethnicities." Supposedly Judge Jones also said that ". . . defendants' claims of racism, innocence, arbitrariness, and violations of international law and treaties are just 'red herrings' used by opponents of the death penalty, and that claims of 'mental retardation' by capital defendants disgust her."

Perhaps more than disgust with the derogatory comments attributed to Judge Jones, this petition reflects overwhelming disgust that any U.S. judge would publicly express sentiments at all consistent with those attributed to Judge Edith Jones; particularly at a law school, presumably in the presence of young people being groomed to join America's legal profession.

Please be sure that comments such as those attributed to Judge Edith H. Jones prompt a substantial and widespread lowering of public confidence in all U.S. courts (state and federal) among reasonable people. Should Judge Jones be determined to have made the derogatory remarks attributed to her after a full, fair, and prompt investigation of the matter, she should be publicly censured. In fact many people would consider her removal from the federal bench an appropriate response should the lack of impartiality that she reportedly professed be confirmed by a full, fair, and prompt investigation.

Please extend your best efforts to ensure a full, fair, and prompt investigation as well as an appropriate resolution of this matter.